In “Local Histories: Heritage and Resistance in a Sudanese Village,” Geoff Emberling (Kelsey Museum research scientist) and Anawar Mahajoub (local curator and MIRS student) discuss how a University of Michigan project is working collaboratively in the village of El-Kurru in Sudan to co-create representations of ancient history and local contemporary culture. As part of the effort to resist colonial and nationalist heritage narratives in Sudan, including the effects of the American archaeologist George Reisner’s early 20th-century excavations, Geoff, Anawar, and their colleagues are developing a Community Heritage Center in El-Kurru. This center will serve as a place of education and support for village residents, not only providing information on the archaeological site but also serving as a place where local heritage can be displayed and celebrated.
The “Local Histories” webinar was presented on Wednesday, November 8, as part of the Fall 2023 “Arts and Resistance” theme semester, a partnership between the U-M Museum of Art, the U-M Arts Initiative, and the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. View the recorded webinar below.
